My 1000-gallon pond recently iced over for the second time this season. I have both a de-icer and a small pump running to keep an adequate hole open in the ice. Problem is, this past week when the pond froze over, my goldfish and koi stayed at the surface of the pond, directly below the ice! They did NOT go to the bottom as they had been doing since the temperatures have dropped. I stopped feeding them about two-months ago and things seemed fine for winterizing until now.

Fortunately, the temps are rising again and most of the ice has melted, but the fish are still not going to the bottom, just staying at the surface. There is some leaf debris in the pond, but nothing excessive. Any ideas what may be going on?

Thanks!!!!

Hi Lisa. If its any comfort to you, my fish often change the elevations of their resting spots in the winter. And they have been healthy for 7 years.

When the water is open my fish hover near the surface for alittle sun but go deep at night. The pump you're running, is it able to splash to get some O2 in the water? I would think if they're STAYING near to the surface then it would be an oxygen level thing. Check out at night with a flashlight to see if they've gone deep. If they have, they're fine.

My fish were also under the ice in the shallows when I had ice the last few days (it's gone now). I was worried they'd freeze in. I had a goldfish freeze in (which killed her) a few years ago. My theory as to why they like to hang in the shallows when the pond ices over is that it makes them feel more secure. There are more places to hide than in the deep end, and when there's ice over top, they know that the heron can't get them. Also, it may be a little warmer in the shallows, even under ice. Once the ice melts, they go deeper, knowing they are again vulnerable to predation.

Thanks all for the replies!

First, the pump is flowing enough to allow for oxygen "bubbles". I don't know a whole lot about this, but could it be creating too much oxygen?? Too fast of a flow, in other words....

Second, the fish did stay in the shallows day and night. The few days recently that the temperature outside got into the teens and the ice was about 3" thick, those silly fish were in the shallows. (I guess I'm frustrated because I spent about a month this past summer making my pond deeper so I wouldn't worry about winterizing...LOL!!)

Last. as the temperature this morning is in the low 40's and all the ice has melted, the fish have decided to migrate into the deep waters!

I can't wait for spring.........!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any advice is truly appreciated!

Hi Lisaa4479, maybe you already posted and answer to this but where area or zone do you live in?

There are lots of us hoping for spring, some more that others. ;)

By the way welcome to the board!

tia

There can be too much water movement if it bounces the fish around or disturbs them. I think one of the reasons my fish like being in the shallow area is that it's away from the waterfall. My waterfall is not providing that much water movement down in the deep end but it's some. My fish also went mostly to the deeper end when the ice melted so I think it does have to do with them feeling safe under ice and not under open water. Even if the fish are in the shallows, having the deep end keeps the overall pond temperature higher and gives them a place to go to hide from predators. So, having that depth is good. Also, at times when my entire pond was iced over, the fish would then go to the deep end mostly as the entire pond had the secure feeling of ice between the fish and land predators.

Thanks for the "welcome" message Tia....I'm in southcentral Pennsylvania (not sure what zone that would be!)

And I have to agree with you Robyn that perhaps the water I'm pumping into the pond may be disruptive and bouncing the fish around.

Anyway, thanks all for the replies! The fish are pretty content in the 60-degree temps we had today....at least it "feels" like spring for a day.